Shackled
by slythatheart
Summary: No Strings verse, follows Parental Hold. Their first semester at different colleges is a little harder than Dave and Sebastian had expected, especially when finals roll around and Sebastian has to keep cancelling plans with Dave.
1. Chapter 1

**Note: **Okay I'm just going to like…leave this here and run away to hide. The second part will be up in a few days! Big thanks to Gabe for the beta read.

* * *

**Shackled**

Sebastian looked tired. Gorgeous, as always, but tired. Dave almost wished Sebastian didn't have such a good webcam; the image was crisp and clear, so he couldn't just pretend it was the camera.

"You need to go to sleep," he said, a little disappointed but mostly worried.

"Not a chance," Sebastian answered, frowning at his screen. "I haven't seen you in nearly three weeks and _now_ we're going to miss this weekend…I don't care if I fall asleep in my breakfast tomorrow, I'm not going to bed until we've talked for at _least_ an hour _and_ gotten off. Twice."

Dave shook his head, trying to hide the smile that was threatening to come out.

"Seb, you look exhausted."

"Your flattery needs some work, Growly. Lucky for you I'm easy."

Dave's stomach flipped the same way it always did when Sebastian looked at him like that, with his lip curled and his eyes teasing. The fact that they were on Skype instead of face to face did nothing to ease his reaction.

"Jesus, you're beautiful," Dave told him quietly. And it was true. Even with the too-bright lighting and the fatigue on Sebastian's face, he was still the best thing Dave had seen all week. He fought down the wave of sadness that he wouldn't – _couldn't _– let Sebastian feel guilty over, and tried for a bright smile.

He hated that they'd have to go yet another weekend without seeing each other, but Sebastian's musical study sometimes meant weekend commitments, especially so close to finals. He knew Sebastian felt guilty over it, which was silly. It would be nice to see each other more – of course it would – but they were lucky enough to still see each other every few weeks; were only a few hours' drive instead of across the country like a lot of people had to deal with. They were managing. And anyway, Dave had had to cancel a few weekends, himself, it wasn't just Sebastian.

"Now that's more li—" Sebastian's words were cut off in a yawn, and Dave couldn't help but laugh at Sebastian's wide eyes on his screen. "Do _not_ take that as evidence of my so-called tiredness. We are both still unreasonably clothed, this call is _not_ ending."

There was no arguing with Sebastian's tone, and if he were being truthful, Dave didn't want to end the call either. He missed Sebastian terribly. The travel time was about the same as when Sebastian was at Dalton and Dave was still living in Lima, but their schedules were so much busier.

"You're so demanding."

"It's a side effect of the sexual frustration." Sebastian had obviously aimed for joking, but it didn't quite work. Dave knew the feeling.

They aimed to see each other every weekend, but it was pretty close to impossible, since they both wanted to hold a high GPA. They usually managed every second weekend instead, but the last several weeks had been awful – that past Sunday, Sebastian had even missed a dinner with Dave's dad for the first time since they'd started nearly a year and a half earlier.

It was a Thursday night and that weekend would be the fourth in a row they'd had to cancel, plus it had been their last chance before Dave's finals started.

"You know…if I pack my stuff tonight I can still drive up tomorrow right after class."

"And do what?" Sebastian sighed, looking resigned. "You'd be stuck in my room all weekend while I'm all over campus doing things I can't get out of instead of doing _you_."

"At least we'd get a few hours together," Dave offered, but he knew Sebastian was right. He had his own studies to worry about, and he could take a few books, maybe, but what he really needed was full access to the student library, which he wouldn't have at Oberlin. He needed to ace his finals both that semester and the next to be able to intern with the Buckeye's manager in his junior year.

Sebastian snorted. "Trust me, Growly, those few hours won't be nearly enough for all the things I want us to do to each other. And I can't..." He looked torn. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but our finals are more important than our mutual horniness and pining. Besides, your exams start next week. I know you're worried about them, I don't want you to spend all that time driving when you could be studying."

"You're right. I know you're right. I just…I miss you. I hate this."

"I know. Me too."

It was only going to be another few weeks, Dave reminded himself. And maybe he could sneak up for a day after his finals. Sebastian would be busy cramming for his own, but he had to rest sometimes, and Dave was willing to make the four hour round trip even if he only got to quiz Sebastian on his exam topics and make sure he ate semi-regularly.

They were adults, the separation wouldn't kill them, and they'd have all of Christmas break together. They just had to keep going until then.

"You really _must_ be tired," Dave said with a teasing smile, trying to focus on the fact that for now, at least, Sebastian was in front of him. Sort of. "We've been on this call for twelve minutes and you're still fully dressed."

* * *

"I've heard rumors that studying works better when you occasionally turn the page, but I'm assuming you have insider knowledge against that."

Dave glanced over at Tim with a frown. His forehead ached, probably from glaring down at his book for so long. "I keep forgetting what I was reading."

"Probably not the most effective technique, then," he joked. "Man, you haven't moved from that desk since you got back from the library this afternoon."

"So?"

Tim rolled his eyes. "So that was almost six hours ago. And I don't think you've actually absorbed anything in the last few hours."

Dave raised an eyebrow. "Watching me like a weirdo, Foster?"

"Like a concerned bystander, more like. You need a break. C'mon, asshole. Put on a shirt that you can actually wear in public because you're coming to a party with me. The Alpha Gamma Delta girls are throwing a pre-finals stress relief mixer and Kat is gonna be there."

"I can't. I need to study, otherwise I could have just g—"

"—gone to Oberlin and done dirty, dirty things with your boyfriend. I know. But man, you aren't getting any studying done, anyway, and you said he was busy, too."

Tim looked serious, which didn't happen often. It was enough to make Dave think, briefly, about taking his advice.

He sighed. "I can't."

"You can. In fact, you will. I'm putting my foot down. Watch." Tim stamped his foot and Dave rolled his eyes.

"I don't know why you're so desperate for me to watch you embarrass yourself trying to talk to Kat."

"And I don't know why you're so desperate to run yourself into the ground," Tim countered. "Look man, you're useless like this. Just give it two hours, and then if you still want to come back and let your brain melt out of your ears from overuse, I won't stop you."

Dave reconsidered, staring down at his notes and textbooks. Tim was right; he really wasn't getting anything done. But on the other hand, he'd stayed in Columbus to get some more studying done. He'd feel guilty if he went out to a party when he could have spent a little time with Sebastian at Oberlin, instead.

"Stop talking yourself out of it, Karofsky. You look guilty as hell, which is stupid. I get that you're romantically and emotionally tied down and want to spend time with your one true love and all that, I do. But you can't for now. And what do you think he'd tell you to do? Dude's totally a party animal, I'm pretty sure he'd be backing me up, here."

"Fine," Dave sighed. He hated it when Tim made sense. "Two hours. But that's_ it_."

* * *

"Wish me luck, bro," Tim said, sounding like he was marching off to war, "I'm going in."

Dave rolled his eyes at the drama in his roommate's words. "Good luck. If you don't survive, I'm keeping your DVD collection."

"Fine. But pass my porn stash down to my younger brother. That kid needs something to make him less of a nerd."

"You once bragged about finding a porno based on Star Trek. I don't think you can judge someone else being a nerd, Foster."

Tim puffed his chest out and stood a little taller. "That's all about to change, my friend. Once Kat falls madly in love with me, my nerdiness will be a thing of the past."

"Uh huh," Dave laughed. "Well, I'll be right over there in case you strike out. Or, you know, in case you freak out and don't talk to her. Again."

He got a punch in the arm for that, but it was worth it since Tim had dragged him out basically against his will and was going to leave him alone five minutes after they walked through the door.

"Don't be a dick. Go be social. Tons of people we know are here. Have some fun."

Dave nodded and Tim grinned, backing away with two thumbs up before he spun around and made a beeline for the group of girls that Kat was talking to.

Tim was right; there were a lot of people around that Dave recognized. Some of them he knew well and others he was only vaguely familiar with from classes. A group of his friends were playing some weird drinking game by the stairs, but Dave wasn't going to join them. He didn't need to get drunk and waste the entire night, and then give up half the next day to a hangover when he should be studying.

He made his way to the kitchen instead, grabbing a beer. He'd have one or two, talk to a few people over the next two hours or so, and then once he'd been there long enough to satisfy his roommate's mother-henning, he'd leave.

* * *

Dave was _bored_. He was also maybe a little drunker than he'd anticipated. He'd only had one beer and one cup of punch so far, but after trying it he was fairly certain that the punch was at least three-quarters hard liquor. It hit him hard and fast, probably because he couldn't remember eating anything since breakfast except a packet of skittles from the library vending machine.

He checked his watch, sighing when he realized he hadn't even been at the party for forty-five minutes. He'd promised Tim two whole hours, and even though he could probably sneak away since Tim had _actually _managed to start a conversation with the girl he'd been into for months, he'd never hear the end of it.

A loud cheer from the living room grabbed his attention, but whatever had happened was over and done with by the time he got there. He saw a few guys from his Sports Marketing class on the other side of the room and thought about approaching them, but it meant navigating the field of couples – and in some cases, small groups – making out and groping each other to the music. Dave was sexually frustrated enough from not seeing Sebastian, he didn't need to make it worse by wading through a mass of hormones and sexual energy.

Back to the kitchen, he decided. It was boring there, but at least it didn't remind him of how much he missed Sebastian. He ignored the couple that passed him, bumping into things and giggling, to lock themselves in the downstairs bathroom.

He grabbed another drink – the punch again – and leaned against the kitchen counter. He wasn't going to get too drunk, not when he had to study the next morning, but he needed something stronger than beer.

What he needed was Sebastian, but he tried not to dwell on that. The punch would help, he decided, and downed half the cup.

Dave couldn't help but think that being at a party was the last thing he needed. Tim had been right that he couldn't keep studying without a break, at least not effectively, but the worst thing he could be doing was spending time somewhere that left him thinking about Sebastian and how much he hated the distance between them.

"You look _way_ too serious for this party!"

He glanced up from sipping his drink and counting scuff marks on the kitchen floor, startled. There was a guy in front of him who seemed vaguely familiar. They shared a class, Dave figured, although he couldn't remember which. The guy – Jake or Jack, or something like that – was looking at him expectantly.

"Oh, hey…uh…"

"Jett," he said with a teasing grin. "We take Sports and Sexuality together."

"Right! I'm—"

"Dave," Jett cut in. "As if I could forget."

The look on Jett's face, his smile…he was flirting. At least, Dave was pretty sure, unless he was drunker than he'd thought. He glanced down at his cup with a frown; it was nearly empty, but he wasn't _that_ far gone, probably.

It felt weird. Dave wasn't really used to anyone aside from Sebastian flirting with him, at least no one that Dave might actually find attractive. And Jett was, well, he wasn't _unattractive_. He wasn't Sebastian, but he was fairly good looking. It was...flattering, Dave supposed, but he had no idea what to say. He didn't want to sound like an idiot if he was misreading the situation, but he didn't want to give this guy the wrong idea, either.

"Oh…well, most people call me Karofsky," he said, trying not to sound as awkward or as uncertain as he felt. That wasn't enough, he thought. He needed to mention he was seeing someone, but he didn't want to sound obvious in case the guy wasn't _really_ hitting on him. "Except my dad. And…my boyfriend."

"Your boyfriend?" Jett asked, with a little smile and a raised eyebrow.

Dave had no idea what that meant.

"Yeah…" he replied, slowly. He needed another drink.

"No offence, but you don't sound too certain. New relationship?"

Dave frowned. "What? No. Sebastian and I have been together for nearly two years."

"Ah, rough patch, then."

"I…no! There's no…what are you talking about?"

Jett shrugged. "It's just, well, he's kind of…noticeably absent. Here you are, standing around, looking lonely. Doesn't seem right. I'd never…I mean, if I were him, I'd be more appreciative, that's all."

"That's not—he's not—look, I don't know you, and you don't know the first thing about me, or my relationship!"

Dave edged past Jett, refilling his cup and taking several long swallows, trying to ignore the asshole beside him.

"I guess not, but I do know you're a really good guy. I mean, just because you haven't noticed me, doesn't mean I haven't noticed you." There were fingers on Dave's elbow and he shrugged them off. Jett looked a little disappointed, but he didn't leave. "You deserve someone who— I'm just saying; I'd be spending time with you and telling you just how great that shirt looks on your shoulders, instead of letting you be bored and all alone at a party where anyone could try to make a move on you."

"Like you're doing right now?" Dave asked pointedly. "Even though I've already told you I'm not interested?"

"Well, to be fair, you didn't _actually_ say you weren't interested," Jett told him with a shrug.

Hadn't he? That couldn't be right.

"Yeah, you casually dropped the boyfriend line," Jett continued, "but hey, if he's too much of an asshole to spend time with you, maybe I don't care as much about his feelings as I do about yours."

Dave frowned again, shaking his head. "Well, I'm not. And it's not like that. He's not just _ignoring me_ or whatever you're thinking. He's studying at Oberlin. We spend as much time together as we can."

"Dave—" Jett paused at the sharp look Dave shot him. "Fine, _Karofsky_. Why would you want to be emotionally chained to a guy who is _hours_ away? I mean, this is college! Isn't half the point meeting new people? There are a lot of guys out there who'd love to be with someone like you. Seems like a waste."

"A waste? Fuck off," Dave growled, refilling his cup one more time. He shoved past Jett a little roughly and grabbed a beer in his free hand, so he wouldn't need to come back into the kitchen for a while. He didn't need to listen to the kind of bullshit Jett was spouting at him.

In fact, maybe Dave should just find Tim and let him know he was done for the night. He wasn't…he wasn't _chained_, like it was some awful thing to be in a loving relationship. It was a dick thing to say, to make it sound like Dave was trapped, like he should be trying to free himself. It was stupid.

Just because…just because he couldn't _see_ Sebastian all the time, didn't mean his relationship was a _waste_. It didn't.

And yeah, sometimes it sucked. But…fuck. Whatever. The punch was getting to him – he shouldn't have had so much, so quickly. And he should probably eat something.

"Wait!" A hand grabbed Dave's arm before he could make it very far. He turned fast and maybe a little unsteadily, ready to tell Jett to go to hell, but Jett looked apologetic. "Look, I'm sorry, okay? Maybe I'm making a mess of this, but I guess I'm just a little nervous, since I've been sort of interested in you for a while. Since last year."

"Oh." Dave blinked, feeling less hostile all of a sudden. He could feel his expression soften, but the rest of his body was being uncooperative, completely still from surprise. He hadn't expected that at all, and he had a flash of realization that maybe for this guy, this was like Tim trying to approach Kat. Maybe. His stomach twisted pleasantly, and his cheeks felt warm. It was ridiculous, he shouldn't feel good things in that kind of a situation; not when a guy who wasn't his boyfriend was hitting on him and confessing to some kind of long standing crush.

Besides, Jett had proven himself to be an asshole. A good looking one, maybe, but also kind of smug sometimes. And Jesus, he practically _was_ Dave's boyfriend, Dave realized as he looked Jett over. His attitude was reminiscent of Sebastian, but…he _wasn't_ Sebastian. He wasn't as cutting or sarcastic. He didn't seem as sharp or as funny, and he wasn't as attractive. And if he'd learned anything from Sebastian's love of expensive clothing, he wasn't as stylish, either.

He also wasn't hours away, at Oberlin, the way Sebastian was. The second that thought entered Dave's head, he pushed it away, guiltily. He couldn't think like that.

"I love Sebastian," he blurted out, startled when he realized that Jett was a lot closer than he had been.

"Sure," he replied, easily. "But I wasn't imagining the way you were checking me out ten seconds ago."

He hadn't been. Except, maybe he kind of had? Or at least it might have looked that way. Dave reached up to rub the back of his neck. His fingers were tingling, which meant he should probably stop drinking if he didn't want to edge past tipsy and into drunken territory.

"I, I don't—"

There was a mouth on his and hands gripping his shoulders, and _Jesus_ Dave had missed that. He was frozen, startled, but it felt…it felt _good_. There were narrow hips pressing against him and he could almost pretend—

His brain clicked back on like a switch had been flipped, and he shoved Jett away from him, spilling his punch everywhere in the process.

"What the fuck? Why did you—?" He wasn't sure why he was asking, because it didn't matter _why_ Jett kissed him; just that he did when he shouldn't have.

"If you try to tell me you didn't enjoy that, I'm not going to believe you," Jett told him, looking meaningfully from Dave's face down to the fly of his jeans.

Dave's brow furrowed because he couldn't deny it, he _had_ enjoyed it a little. And shit…he wasn't going to think about how awful that made him just yet. But it wasn't as if he was hard, not really –not _properly_, not even half way – even though Jett was acting like Dave had been the one grinding them together, instead of the one in shock, still as a statue and maybe trying to remind his brain that the person touching him wasn't the person who should be.

"It…I wasn't…you shouldn't have kissed me."

Jett sighed, grabbing a magnetized pen and sticky pad from the fridge. Dave just watched, confused. "Maybe I shouldn't have," Jett said as he scrawled something down, "but you kissed me back."

Dave wanted to argue, but he couldn't, because he had. Only for a second, but it was still true.

"I _love_ Sebastian."

"Okay," Jett said, shoving the sticky note into the pocket on Dave's shirt, "but can you honestly say you're happy? Because he's obviously not giving you everything you need. I'm heading back to my dorm. And now you have my hall and room number, so if you decide to join me later, you can."

"My—"

Jett sighed again. "_Your boyfriend_ never has to know. No strings, okay? I'm probably setting myself up for heartbreak here, but hey, I gotta take a risk sometime and I think you're worth it. At least this way I might get a chance with you. And maybe if I'm lucky you'll fall passionately in love with me down the track. It happens in the movies, and the world is a crazy place, so it's probably happened for real to someone, somewhere."

"It has," Dave said softly, because it _had_ happened. It had happened to him and Sebastian. He felt dazed thinking about it – about Sebastian, about how long it had been since they'd been together, and about what Jett was offering. Somehow he was more overwhelmed than he had been, even when Jett was kissing him.

He didn't move for a while, not when Jett pressed a quick kiss to his cheek then left, and not when the couple from earlier finally stumbled out of the bathroom both looking disheveled and pleased.

It wasn't until his phone buzzed in his pocket that he came back to himself.

_From: Seb – 11:04pm  
__Can we have tomorrow's call in the morning? My rehearsal was moved to 3p.m. :(_

Fuck. Dave was meant to be at different study groups up until one in the afternoon. He'd planned it that way because he'd known Sebastian would be busy all day and the only time they could call was between two thirty and four in the afternoon. And suddenly Sebastian's schedule had changed, and they no longer fit together.

He didn't want to read too much into that. Not after…no. But not only was he not going to see his boyfriend for ages, they wouldn't even be able to Skype to make up for it. Great.

Instead of replying, he shoved his phone back into his pocket. The paper with Jett's dorm number on it felt like it was burning a hole right through Dave's shirt, like a brand against his chest.

He needed another drink.

* * *

It was cold outside. It had to be, because Dave's breath was coming out in puffs of steam, and he wasn't smoking anything, unlike the guys around the side of the house.

So it was definitely cold, but that was okay, because Dave didn't really feel it. It was warmer inside, probably, but Dave had a lot of thinking to do, and besides, his chest and cheeks were really warm and he couldn't even feel his fingers, so they didn't count. Standing up didn't feel great, anyway, so he was…he was good where he was for a while.

Maybe good wasn't the right word.

He couldn't stop thinking about everything he hadn't wanted to think about; about how hard it felt to see Sebastian so rarely, about how lonely he sometimes felt, about how disconnected he was from his boyfriend while they were both focused on college. It was selfish of him, he thought, to be upset when he knew that they could have been further apart…but he couldn't help it. It still felt awful. It wasn't Sebastian's fault, but Dave felt like they never had time for each other anymore, and he hated it.

Jett had said…well, it didn't matter what Jett said, because Jett was an asshole who didn't care that Dave was in a relationship. He thought it was okay to kiss people who were in love with other people, and Dave didn't like that, even though…even though he'd liked the kiss.

But that was normal, wasn't it? It didn't mean anything…

…did it?

What would Sebastian think? What would he say?

Dave didn't know, couldn't focus. He wanted to ignore Jett, but he couldn't, not when Tim had been making jokes for weeks about Dave being tied down and sad and not social enough. Jett was a dick, but Tim was Dave's friend and if _he_ was seeing it, too, then maybe Jett had a point.

Maybe…maybe Dave was doing this all wrong. He loved Sebastian, he did, but was he missing out on something by being committed to someone who wasn't even around? Everyone said college was for figuring out who you were and for…for experimenting. But Dave wasn't doing that, and neither was Sebastian. They were just…missing each other.

Jett wanted Dave. And Dave…he didn't want Jett, not exactly, but he was really, really frustrated and he'd liked the way it felt. He'd liked the way _Jett_ felt.

Dave was a terrible person. He was a terrible person with steamy breath and an empty cup and he didn't know what to do.

What would Sebastian do?

Dave picked up one of the cans he'd brought out with him. At least he had a few beers waiting before he had to go back into the kitchen.

Sebastian wouldn't have let some guy kiss him, would he?

He wouldn't…wouldn't _enjoy_ some guy kissing him, right?

God, Dave felt sick. And confused. What had he done? And more importantly, why had he enjoyed it? Did that mean he wanted to do it again? That…that he wanted to be with someone else?

He chugged the entire can and popped the tab on the next one. Fuck his morning study groups. He was going to Skype with Sebastian, instead. He could study by himself later.

Sebastian was…he was important. So important. Way more important than whatever _Jett_ was offering him.

But Jett…Jett was _there_. Jett was…he was _waiting_ for Dave. Maybe naked. _Probably_ naked. Is that what people did when they were hoping for a hook up to knock on their door?

Jett thought they were going to hook up. He thought Dave was going to knock on his door. Dave hadn't said he would go, but…he hadn't said no, either.

Why hadn't he said no?

Jett told him Sebastian wouldn't find out, but that wasn't true, because Dave knew he couldn't keep anything from Sebastian, not for long. And if he was even _thinking_ about this, what did that mean?

If Dave went to Jett's room, he knew he'd be thinking about Sebastian. He could do it, he was pretty sure. He could close his eyes and it would be Sebastian kissing him, and touching him, and _fuck_, under him. Dave groaned, it had only been a few weeks, but it felt like forever…longer than he and Sebastian had gone without sex since they got together properly, and Dave's body was responding just thinking about it.

He felt horny and desperate and Sebastian…Sebastian was probably feeling the same. Fuck, Sebastian was probably feeling _worse_. He was the one who used to play the field and get off with strangers, and Jesus, what if _Sebastian_ was feeling trapped? What if he was the one feeling like he was missing out on something?

What if Sebastian was slipping away? What if that's why he was busy that weekend?

Dave couldn't think about that, he just _couldn't_. He didn't want…his vision swam and he felt like he might vomit. The feeling should have put a damper on his libido, but it didn't. He was hard and so fucking frustrated.

He hadn't touched Sebastian, hadn't been touched by Sebastian, in weeks.

The next swig of beer he took emptied the can. It was the last one he had, and Dave sighed. He'd have to go back in the kitchen. But that was where Jett had…

Dave pulled the piece of paper out of his pocket, staring at the writing on it. It looked a little hazy, but when Dave squeezed his eyes shut and opened them back up there was the name of Jett's residence hall and his room number. And a cell number, under that.

If Jett was right, then Dave and Sebastian were just wasting time anyway. They were just…they were shackled to each other for nothing, and Dave wasn't a psych major but he knew people who felt trapped would start to hate each other.

He didn't want to hate Sebastian; didn't want Sebastian to hate him.

Dave's throat felt thick and his eyes hurt. He was tired, so tired, but he knew he wouldn't be able to go back to his dorm and sleep. Not when he thought that…that Jett made sense.

Maybe he and Sebastian would be better off seeing people they could actually _see_. Sebastian would be happier if he could be with someone that was always around, and Dave…

Jett wasn't Sebastian, but he'd said no strings, and Dave would probably feel guilty about it, but he could pretend. Maybe eventually he wouldn't have to pretend anymore.

If Jett was right, then Dave and Sebastian were just delaying the inevitable, anyway.

* * *

Dave wandered down the dormitory hall, checking the numbers as he moved. He was as quiet as he could manage, because he really, _really_ wasn't supposed to be there. The only dormitory he should be in after two o'clock in the morning was his own, which this definitely _wasn't_. He glanced around, not for the first time, wary of being caught. He hadn't spotted a single person since he'd snuck in after a guy so exceptionally drunk it was a wonder he could even use his keycard, but Dave figured it didn't hurt to stay careful. He didn't want to get caught.

He'd sobered up some, but he wasn't sure if that was for the best or not. It was a good thing, in theory, but maybe a little liquid courage would have made the whole thing easier. On one hand, he could mostly walk, minus a tiny stumble on the way up the last flight of stairs (but he hadn't fallen so it didn't really count). On the other hand, the absolute certainty in his choices that came with being completely wasted had faded away, to be replaced with seeds of doubt.

As he continued, glancing from room number to room number, he couldn't help but wonder whether he was making the right decision or a terrible mistake. Was he being an idiot? Was the whole thing a completely awful idea? He wondered, briefly, what Sebastian would think. Would he understand? Would he be angry?

Who was he kidding? Sebastian was going to _kill_ him.

When Dave finally found the right room he stood for several minutes staring at the door and debating his next move. He could leave. He _should_ leave. It was the middle of the night, and he absolutely shouldn't be there.

He should be in his own dorm. In bed.

_His own_ _bed_.

_Alone_.

Dave shouldn't be about to disturb someone in the middle of the night, hoping for—

He wasn't sure _what_ he was hoping for.

But that's what he was doing. He'd given it serious consideration and still made the conscious decision to go there, state of inebriation notwithstanding. It wasn't too late to change his mind, technically, but it felt like it was.

Setting his shoulders and taking a fortifying breath, Dave raised his hand and knocked on the door.


	2. Chapter 2

**Note:** Not gonna lie, I found this hilarious. Sorry, not sorry. Additional notes at the end.

* * *

When the door eventually swung open, Sebastian looked half asleep. His hair was mussed and his eyelids looked heavy, and a wave of affection hit Dave low and hard, like a kick to the gut. He didn't know how his unplanned visit was going to end, and it made his stomach churn.

Sebastian's eyes lit up as he pulled Dave into his room, closing the door behind him.

"Dave! What are you…?" his smile faded and his expression turned confused as he looked Dave over. "Is everything okay? I was worried when you didn't reply to my message."

"Do you feel trapped?" Dave asked quickly. He needed to get the words out, before he couldn't. He just needed to know.

"What?" Sebastian tilted his head, eyebrows pulling together worriedly. "Growly, are you _drunk_? Jesus, tell me you didn't drive all the way here like this!"

Dave's heart was in his throat. He wasn't sure he'd be able to breathe if Sebastian didn't answer him.

"Do you feel trapped?" he asked again, unable to stifle the panic that was starting to creep over him. "Do you…do you feel like you're missing something, being stuck with me when I'm hours away and you can't even see me?"

"No," Sebastian told him. "_No_," he repeated when Dave stared at him uncertainly. His voice sounded steady and his face looked serious, but then something flashed across his features and Dave could tell he was hurt. "Is that—_do you_? Is that why you came?"

"I…no. I—I thought, I mean, for a second. I was scared. I don't…_fuck_." Dave sank down onto the edge of Sebastian's bed, dropping his face into his hands and trying not to be sick. He felt so relieved, but also terrified, because Sebastian hadn't been thinking about leaving him…but that didn't mean he still wouldn't. Not after what had happened.

The panic was still there; maybe even worse, because Dave didn't know what he'd do if he'd ruined everything.

And maybe he hadn't sobered up as much as he'd thought, because the bed felt unsteady under him and his stomach refused to settle.

There was a glass of water in front of his face when he looked up. He took it from Sebastian, trying not to spill any as he drank several mouthfuls. The water sloshed unpleasantly as it hit his stomach, but he knew he had to keep it down. When he couldn't make himself drink anymore, he put it down on the bedside table and tried to keep his breathing slow and deep until he knew he wasn't going to be sick.

"Do you want to tell me what's going on?" Sebastian's voice was cautious, and it made Dave's shoulders hunch, made him curve in on himself as much as he could manage, because it had been a long time, almost a year, since Sebastian had felt the need to be so careful with Dave.

If he said no Sebastian would leave it alone, at least until the morning. But as much as Dave didn't want to have this conversation, he knew he couldn't leave it hanging over them, either.

"I…I was at a party," he started. "I shouldn't have gone. I was supposed to be studying since I couldn't be here. Fuck, Seb, I'm sorry."

Sebastian looked even more confused. "It's okay. You don't need to be sorry for that."

Of course he looked confused, because he didn't know what had happened and Dave didn't know how to tell him. His eyes were stinging and the words were sticking in his throat, because as soon as he said them out loud, that would be it. Sebastian was going to hate him.

"You don't have to make yourself miserable when we can't be together, Bear Cub," Sebastian murmured. "I want you to have fun with your friends."

Guilt washed over Dave again, because Sebastian's voice was calming and Sebastian's hands were on him; on his cheek and in his hair, trying to make him feel better. Dave didn't deserve that. He'd let another guy kiss him, had _liked_ it, even…and he'd doubted himself and Sebastian.

"There was a guy there. He kissed me," Dave choked out. Sebastian's hands stilled, though they didn't abandon him when Dave let his face fall back into his hands. His head felt stuffy and he sniffed noisily, trying to hold back the tears that were burning.

"Did you…did you push him away?" Sebastian paused. "Or did you kiss him back?"

The words came out measured, steady, but Dave could tell how forced that was, how much effort Sebastian put into that tone.

Dave couldn't say it. He nodded, jerkily. Sebastian made a noise, one that Dave couldn't place, but he could feel Sebastian's hands trembling on him.

"Which was it?"

Dave's wrist tickled and he realized a teardrop was making its way across his skin and down his forearm.

"_Dave_." Sebastian sounded anxious, suddenly. Dave didn't know how to fix it.

"B-both."

Sebastian let out a shaky breath, and then another. Dave felt the hands on him disappear and the urge to be sick came back with a vengeance. Then one of Sebastian's hands was on him again, this time tugging on his wrist.

"Look at me. _Please_."

Dave swallowed, painfully. There was a lump in his throat that didn't want to ease. It took him a moment, but he pulled his head out of his hands to face Sebastian. He wished he hadn't. Sebastian's face looked tight and stressed, and his shoulders were shaking, like he was terrified. Dave did that to him.

Sebastian took a deep breath. "Explain."

"I was at a party, i-in the kitchen. This guy from class started talking to me, saying things. F-flirting with me."

"Were you flirting back?"

"No!"

"I'm not accusing you," Sebastian sighed, face resigned. "You know I flirt all the time. I wouldn't be upset with you for that."

"I know. But I wasn't. I…I told him about you, but then he kept saying that you should be there with me and I got mad. I tried to leave but then he told me he'd liked me for ages and I—I guess I was looking at him and he just…he kissed me."

"And you kissed him back." It sounded like it hurt Sebastian to say it. Dave didn't answer, but he didn't need to. He'd already admitted as much. "Do you…do you want to be with him? Are you here to break up with me?"

"No," Dave told him, quickly and truthfully. He wiped at his face furiously, trying to scrub the tear tracks from his cheeks. "_No_. I don't…I don't want him, I didn't. I love you. I know I fucked up so bad, but I just…it's stupid, but…I wished he was you. Except I knew he wasn't, so I pushed him off."

Dave wasn't sure what to expect. He'd never done anything as unforgivable as _cheat_ before, but when he looked Sebastian in the eye again, Sebastian didn't look angry like Dave thought he should. The tension had all but bled out of him, leaving him looking deflated but relieved.

"Holy shit, Bear Cub, you really fucking scared me for a minute there," Sebastian told him, shakily, running his hands through his already messy hair. "Jesus."

"I…what?" Sebastian should have been furious, but for some reason he wasn't.

"Fuck, I thought you were trying to tell me we were over. You said—I mean…when you said you kissed him back I thought…" Sebastian shook his head. "So you'd been drinking, this shit stain with no concept of consent kissed you even after you told him you were seeing someone, and it took you a few seconds to push him away. Is that right?"

When Sebastian said it like that, it didn't sound so bad, but Dave still felt the shame all over his face. "Yes, but…it was worse than that. I—I _enjoyed_ it."

"You enjoyed being kissed? Or you enjoyed being kissed by _him_?"

Dave frowned. "Is there a difference?"

"Of course there is. We're a pair of hormonal guys who haven't seen each other in weeks. We're both on edge and probably a little touch starved. It's not surprising that you'd enjoy a kiss, even if it wasn't the person you wanted to be kissing. It's natural. It doesn't have to mean more than that, especially since you'd been drinking."

"I wasn't _drunk_. I mean, I'd been drinking, but I wasn't…"

"…as drunk as you got _after_ it happened?"

Dave could feel the heat spreading across his cheeks at Sebastian's disapproving tone. He had obviously been able to guess how wasted Dave had gotten, especially since he was still feeling kind of drunk after taking nearly two and a half hours to get there. "It was…he gave me his room number and told me all these reasons why I shouldn't be chained to someone at a different college. He…" Dave sighed and shook his head, feeling like an asshole, but he had to be honest about it all. "…he said you didn't have to know. That…that it could be no strings, but that he hoped I'd fall for him."

"And then you decided to drink every drop of liquor at the party?"

"Yes. I just got scared he was right," Dave admitted. "Not…not about falling for him. But he said all this stuff about how we shouldn't be tied down and we shouldn't miss out on stuff in college, and I just…"

"And you wondered if you were missing out?"

Dave shook his head. "No. I mean, yes, but not really. Only for a second."

Sebastian stared at him for several moments before understanding washed over his face. He sighed, lips pulling into a frown. "You wondered if _I_ was missing out."

"Yes," he answered quietly. The expression on Sebastian's face made Dave feel like the world's biggest jerk. "I'm…I'm sorry."

"No, don't be," Sebastian told him, dropping his hand into Dave's and squeezing it tightly. "I'm not going to lie, it doesn't feel great to know you were having doubts, but it's normal, you know? I…I sometimes think about how hard it is, too. We just need to adapt, I think. It's our first semester like this and it's finals, so it's overwhelming. I hate it, but it's worth it, because of you. Because of how I feel about you."

"I feel the same. I do."

"Obviously, since you're here, when you could be…well. You could be with someone else, if you wanted to be. You could be with that…future member of the Sexual Offenders Registry."

"He wasn't quite like _that_."

"Wasn't he?" Sebastian said doubtfully, and then shook his head. "It doesn't matter. What matters is that you're here, instead of there."

Dave flushed again, pulling Sebastian closer to him. "I…I thought about going there, when I thought maybe you'd be happier if you could be with someone nearby. But I knew I'd just be pretending he was you."

"Well, when I told you I don't feel trapped, I meant it. I'm not missing out on anything, okay? I've been there, done that, and I'm not interested in doing it again." Sebastian took a deep breath. He looked like he was debating his next words, and he winced for a second before trying to cover it. "You know…I'd understand if you thought you were missing out. I'd hate it, but I'd still understand. You didn't play the field, or sow your oats or whatever the fuck you want to call it. Don't get me wrong, what you're getting right here is top quality, Growly, but you're really just taking my word for it, so it'd be normal for you to wonder."

"Don't be dumb," Dave said, shoving Sebastian gently with his shoulder. "I know most people do that a little until they want to settle down, but I'm just…I'm lucky, you know? I found what I was looking for first try."

"Well," Sebastian replied with the beginnings of a smirk, "you clearly have impeccable taste. Now drink the rest of this. I don't want you dehydrated and hung over in the morning. Well…later in the morning."

Dave took the glass from Sebastian and finished the rest of the water. His head felt a bit clearer, finally, and he no longer felt his stomach fighting him. Instead, it rumbled, and Sebastian shook his head.

"When was the last time you ate?"

Dave shrugged, sheepishly, and Sebastian rolled his eyes and picked up his phone. "You're lucky there's a twenty-four hour pizza place that delivers here."

After he'd called and placed an order, he folded his arms and gave Dave a scrutinizing look. "Now that _that's_ settled, tell me the truth. How did you get here? Because I swear, Dave, I don't care how much bigger than me you are, I will kick your ass if you drove in this state. God I can only imagine how drunk you were when you left Columbus!"

"I thought about driving. I just wanted to get here," Dave admitted, feeling like an idiot, "but when I dropped my keys twice on my way to my truck I realized I couldn't and I took a cab."

Sebastian blinked in surprise. "You took a cab _one hundred and ten miles_? That must have cost you a small fortune."

"Yeah," Dave grimaced. "I should probably warn Dad about that before he sees the credit card bill."

"Jesus. You know, you didn't have to come out here tonight."

"Yes, I did," Dave insisted. "I really did."

* * *

Dave didn't need to open his eyes to know it was morning. After gorging themselves on late night pizza he and Sebastian had stripped naked and crawled into bed, forever grateful for Sebastian's single room, although they were both too tired to do more than press in close and kiss each other lazily until they drifted to sleep. Dave was feeling warm and comfortable despite the sunlight trying to filter through his eyelids, with surprisingly little trace of a hangover after Sebastian had encouraged him to drink glass after glass of water. Sebastian was sprawled over him, his weight welcome and reassuring across Dave's chest. He'd missed that.

His arms were stretched above him instead of wrapped around his boyfriend, but that was easily fixed. Dave shifted, only managing to move his hands an inch before they jerked to a stop with a rattle and a pull against his wrists.

"Wh—?" Dave frowned, eyes blinking open in confusion.

"Finally joined the land of the living, huh, Bear Cub?" Sebastian moved until he was grinning down at Dave, looking smug. Dave tugged at his hands again, to no avail.

Handcuffs, he realized.

"Seb, what? Where did you get these?"

"I bought them a few weeks ago," Sebastian told him with a shrug. There was a devious look on his face that went straight to Dave's cock. "I was going to surprise you with them at Christmas, but you were so worried about me feeling trapped last night, I thought now was more appropriate. I figured I'd show you it wasn't always a bad thing to be trapped, that it can be fun, too."

"_Fuck_," Dave groaned. "I know it can."

He did. Of _course_ he did, since it wasn't the first time one of them had tied the other down. It _was_ the first time with anything more hardcore than a dress tie, though, and Dave's dick was already rock hard at the idea.

"Mmm, we both do," Sebastian agreed. "I think you need a reminder, though."

"You…?" Dave's heart was thumping in his chest. Sebastian was moving, rocking his hips against Dave's. "Yeah. Yeah, I think…_fuck_…you're right."

"I usually am," Sebastian told him, leaning forward to nip at Dave's lips. Dave tried to surge upward, to deepen the kiss, but Sebastian just smirked and pulled out of his reach. "I can think of worse ways to pass the morning."

Dave tried to ignore the stab of disappointment that hit him when he realized how bright the sun was and how late it must already be. "How—how long before you have to go?"

"Oh…about twenty hours, or so."

Sebastian's hand dragged down Dave's chest, dancing over his navel and down his body teasingly. Dave groaned again, letting himself fall back against the pillow when long fingers tightened around him and Sebastian's thumb slipped across the already leaking head of his dick. "Jesus, Seb. You—_shit_—you have rehearsals today."

"Fuck them. I haven't missed a single one all semester, they can live without me this once. Besides," he added, "I'm the best fucking performer in the group. _They_ still need the practice but I've been killing it. Every. Fucking. Time." He was stroking Dave firmly, punctuating his words with a twist of his wrist and a swipe of his thumb. Heat was prickling along Dave's skin and he tilted his hips, trying to push up into Sebastian's fist, but Sebastian let go and shook his head. "Uh uh, Growly. We're just getting started."

Before he even finished speaking, Sebastian was sliding up Dave's body. He was as hard as Dave was, and just as wet. Dave could feel him pressing into Dave's stomach then his chest as he moved, leaving a slick trail in his path. Sebastian didn't stop until he was straddling Dave's upper torso, knees pressing against Dave's upper arms, thighs by his armpits. Dave could feel Sebastian's balls, heavy and warm, resting on his sternum.

He licked his lips, eyeing Sebastian's cock. It was flushed and thick; enticing. Sebastian began stroking himself slowly, firmly, and Dave couldn't pull his gaze away. The head of Sebastian's dick was red and weeping, demanding Dave's attention each time it appeared through Sebastian's grip on his downward stroke. Sebastian shuffled forward another inch, and Dave opened his mouth expectantly.

When Sebastian didn't come any closer, Dave growled and tried to get nearer, tried to wrap his lips around the tempting flesh, but Sebastian wasn't close enough – almost, but not quite – and Dave's mouth fell short. He growled low in his throat and Sebastian chuckled.

"It occurs to me," Sebastian said, voice rough, "that this is also the perfect opportunity to prove that watching can be a lot of fun, too." Dave was glad to hear how affected Sebastian sounded; he was in complete control, but he also _wasn't_. "I know," he continued, "that Skype isn't quite this…this _interactive_…but it can still be good. If you enjoy a show, of course. And I know you do."

Dave nodded, eagerly, hoping his agreement would hurry things along, but Sebastian just smirked, like he knew exactly what Dave was thinking.

He probably did. Sometimes Dave thought his boyfriend was actually evil.

Instead of giving Dave what he wanted Sebastian stayed exactly where he was, stroking himself slowly, lazily, driving Dave insane with each passing second. It wasn't just the way he was working himself over that was making Dave desperate – it was the way he looked; hair messy, cheeks reddened, sharp lines of his hips begging to be stroked and licked as they all but framed his fist and dick; and the way he _sounded_ with his breath hitching as he got more turned on, with the tiny but needy noises he made as he flicked a finger across his slit and used his other hand to cup and roll his sack.

Dave was hot all over. He could feel himself throbbing, aching. His heart was hammering and his breath was shallow and fast. When he wasn't sure he could take it any longer, Sebastian leaned in a little, just enough that if Dave strained forward he could steal a taste. He did, urgently, only managing to lap at the head of Sebastian's cock for a second before Sebastian pulled away again. Dave made a noise he'd probably be embarrassed about later, rolling the flavor over his tongue before it disappeared far too quickly.

Sebastian leaned to the side and Dave could hear the drawer opening and closing. Instead of looking over, he turned his head in the opposite direction, latching his mouth onto the soft skin of Sebastian's thigh that had finally moved within his reach. Sebastian stilled, holding the position longer than Dave knew was necessary, giving him a few moments to enjoy the taste of Sebastian's skin and the feeling of it under his tongue and between his teeth before Sebastian moved back into place, dick bobbing unfairly in front of Dave's face; too close but not nearly close enough.

"Seb, _please_. Fuck." Dave knew he was whining, but he couldn't find it in himself to care, especially not when Sebastian took pity on him, taking hold of himself and tracing his cock over Dave's lips, pressing forward a few inches until Dave could get his mouth around the head and suck. Sebastian gasped above him, rocking his hips just enough that Dave could feel the movement on his tongue. He didn't stay there for long, only a few seconds, but it was enough to make Dave's eyes fall shut and his stomach tighten.

When Sebastian pulled away this time Dave tried to follow more forcefully. The handcuffs did their job, stopping him from moving too far, and he growled again in frustration, pulling at them roughly.

"Careful, Growly," Sebastian murmured, arching over to press a kiss to Dave's forehead. "Don't hurt yourself."

"_You're_ hurting me," Dave told him between clenched teeth.

"Liar. You love it."

That was true.

"I hate it," he shot back, because that was true, too.

Sebastian just smirked at him and slid a few inches back until he was sitting over Dave's middle, the front of his thighs brushing Dave's nipples.

"I wonder how you're going to feel about what I do next, then." Sebastian's tone was predatory, and his eyes were full of mischief. Dave's dick twitched eagerly in response.

"You're Satan," he groaned.

"How did you know?" Sebastian teased. He leaned forward, kissing Dave hotly. It was wet and messy, tongues curling and licking, teeth scraping and biting. It went on for longer that Dave expected, but not nearly as long as he'd have liked.

When Sebastian pulled back his lips were red, shiny and swollen. He looked the way Dave felt; debauched and filthy. Dave had seen him like that hundreds of times, but it always hooked him hard and fast, like a shot of lightning right down his spine. It probably always would, he figured.

A soft snick drew Dave's attention to Sebastian's hand. He had a bottle of lube, cap flicked open. Dave swore under his breath when Sebastian squeezed a small puddle of it, cold and startling, into the dip between Dave's pecs.

Sebastian just grinned at him, unrepentant, and dragged a finger through the mess. He lifted up until he was on his knees and Dave no longer had to strain his neck; he had a perfect view of Sebastian's lean abs, his sharp hips, and his hard cock. Dave thought he knew what was coming, tried to steel himself for the sight of Sebastian pressing the finger against his own opening, but Sebastian had other ideas.

Instead of dropping his hand low, Sebastian let it rest on his hip, drawing tiny circles of slick where the bone jutted out.

_Oh, no_.

Dave couldn't sit through that. He _couldn't_. Sebastian knew exactly what he was doing to Dave as slid his finger along the line of his hipbone, down towards his groin and back up the other side, leaving a shiny path in its wake. Those ridges were Dave's weakness, his addiction, and Sebastian was using that against him, taunting him.

Dave yanked at the handcuffs again, hard enough that his wrists creaked, but it was useless. He wanted to squeeze his eyes shut, but he couldn't; all he could do was follow Sebastian's fingers helplessly with his gaze. It went forever, almost, until Dave's mouth and throat were dry and his tongue felt thick and heavy. By the time Sebastian was done torturing him, Dave was in a daze. He almost didn't notice that Sebastian had stopped; he couldn't stop staring at the lines of Sebastian's hips, the shine of lubricant along the prominent ridges, emphasizing their shape.

It wasn't until Sebastian let out a long, guttural moan that Dave realized Sebastian's hand had disappeared behind him. He caught sight of fingers between hard, lean thighs and relief washed over him. Sebastian was opening himself up. He was taking his time with it, but that was okay, because he was making the kind of noises that Dave knew meant he'd want more soon. He wasn't going to make Dave, or himself, suffer too much longer.

"I should get my dildo out," Sebastian said, breathlessly, "like I would if we really were Skyping. I should fuck myself with it while you watch it sliding in and out and imagine how tight and hot I am around it."

A noise punched out of Dave; sudden and pained like a wounded animal, which made sense because that's exactly how he felt – like he'd been ripped open, like he'd die if he didn't get what he needed.

"No, you're right," Sebastian moaned. He sounded like he was getting close, like he was going to come clenched around his own fingers. "Gotta make the most of each other while we can."

Almost before Dave knew what was happening there was a slick, warm grip around the base of his erection and he swore loudly. Sebastian was holding him in place, pressing down steadily until a tight, slippery heat swallowed the head of his cock, then more, surrounding him inch by inch until Sebastian had taken all of him.

For a split second they were both frozen, just basking in their closeness. Sebastian's eyes were wide and his pupils were dark, and Dave knew he had to look just as desperate. He could hear his pulse in his ears, drowning out everything except his own harsh breathing and Sebastian's pleased murmurs.

Then, Sebastian shifted his hips just a little, and the calm of the moment was broken.

Sebastian was riding him – _really_ riding him – hard and fast in seconds. He was bouncing up and down, head thrown back and crying out every time his thighs slapped Dave's hips. Dave wasn't going to last, had dug his heels as deep into the mattress as he could manage, rutting his hips up to meet Sebastian, to press into that tight heat as far as he could. There was no real rhythm, nothing but need and electricity in their movements. He wasn't even trying to be quiet, but neither was Sebastian, and before long he was skirting the edge, trying frantically to hold back.

"_Seb_…"

"Fuck, _Dave_!" Sebastian was wrecked; Dave could hear it in his voice, feel it in the way his legs were trembling. In moments Sebastian was spurting over his own knuckles and chest, warm droplets spilling onto Dave's stomach. His inner muscles were clutching at Dave over and over until Dave couldn't stop himself and he thrust upwards roughly and desperately, once, twice, and then came so hard his vision blurred.

By the time Dave's mind cleared Sebastian had all but collapsed on top of him, panting heavily into Dave's chest while his breath, hot and damp, tickled Dave's chest hair. Dave's shoulders ached, his arms were going numb and his cock was softening and threatening to slip out of Sebastian. They were both sticky from lube and jizz but somehow everything was perfect.

* * *

Dave was hunched over a few textbooks that Sebastian had checked out for him from the Oberlin student library. He didn't feel as guilty as he should about his plan to stay another night and leave early on the Sunday morning, but they both knew he couldn't afford to waste a whole day's study time when his finals were starting in just a few days. Sebastian had over a week left before his, so he didn't seem at all concerned about skipping his Saturday commitments in favor of studying in his room so that they could spend the day together.

Of course, Dave knew that wasn't the case; that those rehearsals mattered, no matter what Sebastian claimed, considering they'd been the reason Sebastian had needed to cancel their weekend together in the first place.

"Are you sure you don't need to go? I don't mind studying here until you're done," he offered for the third time.

Sebastian just rolled his eyes. Again. "I'm sure. Stop worrying."

"I just feel bad."

"Really? After this morning, you should feel very, very good," Sebastian smirked.

Dave tried, and failed, to hide his grin. His shoulders were still sore and probably would be for days. It would be a nice reminder, he thought.

"Maybe tonight I'll handcuff you," he teased.

"Promise?"

"If you promise to focus on your studying tomorrow once I'm gone. I don't want your GPA to suffer because of me." He was aiming for a joke, but he knew he landed a little off.

Sebastian pushed himself up from his bed and sauntered over to where Dave was sitting at the desk. His hands dropped to Dave's shoulders, kneading the aching muscles gently as he climbed into Dave's lap.

"Don't, okay? I'm going to ace my finals, and so are you. We've both been working really fucking hard. And I don't know about you, but I'm going to be able to focus a lot better now that we've had some time together."

"Yeah, me too," Dave agreed. He would; he _definitely_ would. He'd been distracted with missing Sebastian, with feeling so far away from him recently – the impromptu visit was exactly what he'd needed.

"Good. Besides, even without the kinky morning sex, I'm really glad you're here. And not just because I'm a selfish dick who wants every second of your spare time," Sebastian told him with a smile. "You got scared and you came to me. You didn't hide it or just assume anything and react. That's…it's good, you know? It's a big thing. I'm so proud of you for that, even though you scared the living shit out of me for a little while, there." And then, much quieter, "I love you."

Sebastian's nose bumped Dave's gently, deliberately. Dave beamed, warmth and happiness unfurling in his chest and spreading through him. He pulled Sebastian closer, running his hands up and down the smooth skin of his back, under the shirt he had made Sebastian put on so he wouldn't be such a big distraction. It had only worked to a point.

"I love you, too."

"We should make a deal," Sebastian said, voice low and suggestive. "For every final you ace, you get to pick a place – public or private – and any sexual act you want. And I'll do it. And vice versa."

Dave raised an eyebrow. "You say that like you wouldn't do that normally."

"You caught me," Sebastian smirked. "But sometimes _you_ get shy, and I plan to ace _all_ of my finals."

"You are a fucking _deviant,_" Dave laughed, shaking his head affectionately.

"It's part of my charm."

It shouldn't have been, but it was. Dave laughed again and they kissed for a while, slowly, easily. Everything felt just a little different. Dave wasn't sure how, but he knew – he just _knew_ – that they would be okay. It would be difficult, of course, because they still had _years_ of this before they were done with college. But that didn't matter. They'd handle it, they'd adapt like Sebastian said, and would deal with whatever distance and commitments and schedules they had to, because Sebastian was _it_ for him, he felt it right down to his bones. And he knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that Sebastian felt the same.

* * *

**Note:** The lack of condom use here isn't me being hopeless about safe sex. The boys have been together for over 18 months, close to two years if you count from their first night together, and my headcanon says they trust each other enough to stop using condoms somewhere around the one year mark (after they were both tested as a precaution, of course).

This fic was originally meant to be a bit of fun with handcuffs but turned out to be a very pivotal point in their relationship, where they leave behind "high school couple" and move into "serious adult relationship" territory. You might pick up a few parallels between this fic and events in the first few fics of the series. There are the (initially) unwelcome advances of another man, the question of whether alcohol is a factor in someone's decision making, and the promise of no strings. There's also a line that is very reminiscent of No Strings: The Missing Scene, where Sebastian tells Dave during sex, "We're just getting started." And lastly, there's a complete one-eighty degree turn in Sebastian's understanding of consent and sexual assault; in Forming a Connection Sebastian was colder and less considerate of others – in his view in that fic, Dave kissing Kurt against his will wasn't that big of a deal. Back then he saw sex as having very little meaning beyond his enjoyment of it, but now as he's older and has come to understand people and relationships on a deeper level, he sees it differently and understands that Jett kissing Dave against his will is problematic. I don't believe this is solely because Sebastian cares for Dave, I think it shows how much he has grown as a person.

There are probably more parallels lurking that I haven't specified here, but those are the important ones.


End file.
